


Ten Seconds

by Athanor



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: Angst, Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:34:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28956537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Athanor/pseuds/Athanor
Summary: Ten seconds is not a long time.Apollo had seen centuries worth of history. He had been around long enough to see civilisations and empires rise, only to crumble back into dust. He had seen the lifespans of millions of humans. Ten seconds was negligible to him.Ten seconds was all it took for him to fall in love.
Relationships: Apollo/Hyacinthus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this for a writing competition but my teacher didnt even enter the essay into the competition and i was like damn :// i put a lot of effort into it :((
> 
> so now it's here bc i am lowkey very proud of it :)) i hope you like it haha

Ten seconds is not a long time. Not in the eyes of a human, and certainly not in the eyes of a god.

  
  
Apollo had seen centuries worth of history. He had been around long enough to see civilisations and empires rise like a newly born Phoenix emerging from its ashes, only to crumble back into dust. He had seen the lifespans of millions of humans. Being the god of prophecies gave him the ability to see millions of lives that are yet to unfold. Ten seconds was negligible to him.  


  
Ten seconds was all it took for him to fall in love.  


  
He had seen the prince for the first time during the Carneia, a Spartan festival, as he tried to mingle with the crowd in disguise. A rough, mud-coloured cape was draped over the prince's head and his cheeks were slightly smeared with dirt. There was a pretty flower crown balanced precariously on the top of his hood, not unlike the one Apollo was also wearing, gifted to him by a sweet little girl at one of the shops. The young Olympian saw right through the prince’s disguise, recognising the high-quality linen, intricately ornate brooches and the braided leather belt only the royal family could afford and wear.  


  
Ten seconds. That was all it took for the prince to turn, revealing his face to the god and stunning Apollo with his beauty.  


  
His father’s voice immediately rang in his head, warning him of the dangers that falling in love with a mortal would bring: “Remember, son. They are mortal. They die. We do not. We are immortal. Loving a mortal can only end in tragedy.”

This was coupled with the more rational side of his brain, reminding him about how severe the heartbreak his previous love, Daphne, had caused him and how this would most likely end in the same way.

Apollo, however, had fallen hard. The prince had turned his head so the sunlight reflected in his eyes, turning them into glittering jewels as he grinned wide. He scrunched up his face in an adorable manner, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sun's rays. Apollo was pretty sure he lost the ability to breathe.  


  
‘This is going to be different,’ he thought to himself firmly as he prepared to introduce himself to the prince. ‘I am going to make sure of that’.

  
  
Apollo made his way over to the young prince, who was examining a hand-carved wooden figurine at a stall. As the prince turned to face him, Apollo waved. “Fancy seeing a prince here, in disguise no less.”  


  
The prince blinked rapidly in shock; his pretty lips parted in an ‘o’ as he stared dumbfounded at the extraordinarily handsome stranger who had just seen right through his disguise. “How—how did you know that?” He squawked indignantly.  


  
The stranger only laughed, leaning against a wooden pole. “Your robes, that brooch, your belt. Did you really think rubbing dirt on your face and wearing a cape was going to help, my dear prince?” He remarked as the prince flushed in embarrassment.  


  
“Who _are_ you anyway?” He suddenly demanded, trying to change the subject, “You are not from around here, are you?” The prince was defensive now, glaring at Apollo with a small pout. Apollo smiled. He was too cute.

To the prince’s dismay and growing irritation, the pretty blonde stranger countered with a question of his own. “What are you doing here?”

The prince hesitated, stating, “I am…enjoying the festivities?” Before he added on, annoyed, “You still have not told me who you are. I am Hyacinthus.”  


  
Apollo’s smile grew. “I apologise. It seems I have quite forgotten my manners. I am Apollo.” Hyacinthus’s face paled as Apollo added on, “The god.”

“But there is no need to fear me,” He added hurriedly, seeing the terrified look on Hyacinthus’s face. “We are not so cruel as to punish a mortal for not recognising a divine deity in disguise. I swear I would never harm you.”

Hyacinthus was less terrified now, but he still stared apprehensively at Apollo as he extended his hand out to Hyacinthus. “Do you want to explore the festival together? I would never get angry if you decide not to spend time with me.”

Hyacinthus hesitated, but slowly placed his hand in the Olympian’s. Apollo gave him a delighted grin as he squeezed Hyacinthus’s hand gently. Hyacinthus could not stop the smile that erupted on his face as he saw the god’s enthusiasm.

“Let’s have fun, shall we?” Apollo’s eyes sparkled in joy as he led Hyacinthus away from the stalls and into the heart of the crowd, where the ritual was about to begin


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Close your eyes, and count to ten, then we'll see!"

“Is ten seconds a long time?”

No sooner had the innocent question escaped Hyacinthus’s lips than Apollo choked, bursting out laughing at the ridiculousness of the question.

“Ten seconds!” He managed to wheeze out as Hyacinthus pouted and crossed his arms over Apollo’s uncontrollable laughter.

“Ten seconds is nothing,” He explained once he had calmed down, “I have seen centuries worth of history. I have seen empires rise and fall. I am not old enough to have witnessed the birth of the universe. However, I have been gifted with divine sight. I am the god of prophecies, so I have seen centuries into the future. I have watched time pass by for thousands of years. Ten seconds is nothing to me. _Time_ is nothing to me.”

Hyacinthus was not convinced. “Ten seconds can seem like forever!” He insisted, “Once, I tripped down the temple stairs and nearly broke my head had it not been for my brother catching me. The whole thing happened in five seconds; to me, it felt like an eternity!”

Apollo simply laughed. He would not expect a human to fully comprehend immortality. “My sweet, if you are a god, like me, time becomes blurred. _Especially_ if you are like me and can see into the future. Time is merely a construct, something humans made up to be able to comprehend the ways of the universe—”

Hyacinthus put a hand over Apollo's mouth.

“You’re monologuing again."

Apollo raised his eyebrows in amusement.

“Close your eyes, and count to ten. Then you’ll see.” Hyacinthus declared confidently, his lips quirking up in a playful grin. Apollo rolled his eyes but did as he was told.

_Ten._

The discus struck Hyacinthus’s head violently with a sickening crack, skidding across the side of his head and rutting itself into the ground. The cry of shock and horror that escaped Apollo’s mouth rang clear in the air as Hyacinthus limp body hit the dirt.

_Nine. Eight._

“No! No-no-no-no stay with me, stay with me _please_ —”

Apollo choked as his trembling hands cupped the sides of Hyacinthus’s face, gently caressing his face drenched in blood. Hyacinthus’s eyes were unfocussed and glassy with shock.

“Please! I can’t-I _can’t_ let you die _please_ —”

_Seven._

“Apollo…?” His voice was small, like a frightened child. Apollo’s eyes were wide with fear, an emotion unnatural to feel as a god. He let out a sob, frantically murmuring healing chants and pressing his hand on the deep cut as hard as he could. 

_Six. Five._

Hyacinthus let out a pained gasp as he reached out blindly, clinging onto Apollo’s robes, his hands, _anything_. Apollo grasped his bloodied hand firmly, bringing it to cup his cheeks, not caring if his face was smeared with blood.

_Four._

Apollo finally closed his eyes in defeat, weeping in the sudden realisation that nothing he could do would save Hyacinthus. 

A God is powerless in the face of death. No one can do anything when the red strings of fate are cut. Not Zeus, not Hades or Thanatos, and especially not Apollo. 

Apollo was the god of many things. Healing, medicine, the sun and archery were a few of the multiple aspects the god controlled.

Miracles did not count as one of them. 

_Three. Two._

Hyacinthus was barely breathing now. Apollo held him close and cradled his head as Hyacinthus clung blindly onto his chiton. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so, _so_ sorry…” It was nearly a mantra that Apollo whispered into Hyacinthus’s ears, pressing a feverish kiss to Hyacinthus’s forehead as tears slid down his face silently.

Hyacinthus put on a final burst of energy, leaning up to whisper into Apollo’s ear; 

_“It’s not your fault. I love you.”_

His hand dropped from the death grip on Apollo’s chiton, and his head lolled back. Hyacinthus’s body went limp and lifeless.

_One._

Apollo opened his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man, idk how chapters even work but the last one's gonna be a bit short 
> 
> also,,,,,sorry :')


	3. Chapter 3

It was the kind of scream that you could feel bubbling in your throat before you let it out. The kind that simmers and boils like a dam full of angry water, deep in your vocal cords, just waiting for the crack to get just a little too big before everything comes crashing down.

His mouth opened. A horrible wail let loose from his parted lips as his hands slammed against the sides of his face. The sound filled the empty air, breaking the heavily pregnant silence that suffocated the air mere seconds ago. 

The world fell silent for those few moments. Trees, birds and insects all fell mum, fleeing in the wake of the terrible noise that echoed mournfully through the fields. 

‘ _ It ended the exact same way you were warned it would end,’ _ a small, savage voice murmured in Apollo's head as he watched the breathtakingly beautiful hyacinths burst into purple and red blossoms from the blood and tears, _ ‘ _ you  _ made sure of that _ , _ did you not?’ _

Ten seconds is not a long time in the eyes of a human. To a god, it is even less.

Ten seconds was all it took for Apollo to fall in love.

Ten seconds was all it took for Apollo to lose the one he loved the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know it's a little short and i may or may not add more after a while but for now this is the end :)) heehee thank you all for reading!!


End file.
